It’s Just Not Fair (and Some Great Summer Recipes)

You know what’s not fair? Let me tell you: it’s not fair how every year, when the weather gets warm, I get sick.  I have the worst cold right now and it’s 80 degrees out.  My head feels like it’s going to explode.  But the birds are chirping, the lawn mowers are running, and I’m actually jealous of the people who keep jogging by my front porch (normally, they’d just make me feel guilty for sitting on my butt).   Being sick makes me feel like I should be curled up inside under a nice warm blanket.  I should be reading a book and sipping tea.  But since it’s the first gorgeous day in weeks, I brought my water and my tissues out to the front porch in an attempt to enjoy it.  In a final effort to make myself feel better, I’m going to embrace the warm weather and write about the recipes I’m excited to try this summer.

© David Loftus

First up? Jamie Oliver’s 1-minute berry ice cream.  I think this is really just a fancy way of saying a yogurt smoothie, but it still looks good, right? Plus there’s something about saying you made a Jamie Oliver recipe that makes you instantly cool.

I love a classic caprese salad in the summertime, but sometimes it’s fun to switch things up a bit.  This grilled peach and mozzarella salad will do just the trick.  Instead of basil, use cilantro and arugula.  Delicious.

photo by: Romulo Yanes

Nothing announces the arrival of summer better than a strawberry-rhubarb pie.  Except that strawberry-rhubarb pies are so yesterday.  Okay, I totally take that back, I’m a sucker for strawberry-rhubarb pies and will love them forever. But let’s just pretend they’re so yesterday so I can talk about how amazing this rhubarb tart with orange glaze looks.  The colors are gorgeous and I bet it tastes great, too.  Plus the combination of rhubarb with citrus sounds quite fresh and wonderful to me.  Maybe my cold is making me crave citrus? Did these images already make you forget that I’m sick? I almost forgot too…

Also – can I throw it out there now that tarts are going to be the next big “it” pastry? I promise.  Like cupcakes, whoopie pies, and macarons before them, tarts are about to have their time in the limelight.  You heard it here first, folks.

photo by: Helene Dujardin

Let’s take a moment to think about how amazing tomatoes taste in the peak of summer.  Ahhh. Now, I’m a huge proponent of eating them fresh and raw when they’re so full of flavor, but if you happen to be overwhelmed by your tomato crop, I think this Roasted Tomato Soup from Tartelette would be the perfect way to use some up.  Also, my friend’s grandmother once told me that eating hot soup in the middle of summer is the best way to feel cooler.  I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but there’s something about it heating up your internal temperature so it doesn’t feel so hot outside…does that mean I can’t have gazpacho?

Okay, this final recipe isn’t for everyone.  But it’s the one I’m most excited to try – bloody mary popsicles.  I love the thought of a popsicle that’s not cloyingly sweet.  And these even call for vodka! Late-afternoon popsicle, anyone?

Click on each image to link to the recipe!